The Bathroom At THOR's New Tequila Bar Is Feeling Like A Million Bucks (Or Pesos)

Late last week, we got to check out one of the hottest new joints to hit Manhattan's Lower East Side: the Viktor & Spoils taqueria and tequila bar, located adjacent to the lobby at The Hotel On Rivington. Flushed from a few too many sips of the Central Park Swizzle (Rum Zacapa, lime, grapefruit, sugar, crushed ice, $14), our favorite of the night, we headed off to the bathroom.

Once inside, we had to blink and rub our eyes to make sure what we were seeing was correct: the walls had been plastered with actual Mexican peso notes, covering the room from floor to ceiling like strips of wallpaper. Compared to the larger but more sober bathrooms at CO-OP next door, this little bank note temple perfectly captured the excess and merriment of a tequila bar. At least, just enough to make us order yet another $14 flight.

As we mentioned, one of our faves was the Central Park Swizzle, pictured here. Other favorites included the Paloma (Tequila, Mexican grapefruit soda, lime, sea salt, $14) and the awesomely fresh-tasting traditional Smokin' Margarita ($14). The cocktail menu is divided into: cocktails with mezcal and tequila cocktails, cocktails with other liquors, and los clasicos, all priced at $14.

Though Alan Phillips leads the team (in addition to his concurrent project next door at CO-OP) the establishment's other co-creator, Steve Olson, is considered by many to be the world's leading authority on tequila and mezcal. Indeed, Olson scoured different Mexican distilleries prior to opening in order to find the best of the best.

The resulting menu contains 36 types of tequila and 26 types of Mezcal. Delicious food items (mahi mahi tacos, $15, roasted cactus nachos, $14 and baby elote corn and lobster taquitos, $14, among them) are hard to resist, though if you just came here to booze, no one would be mad.